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Hope for Sunny

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Hope for Sunny ☀️





Hello, my name is Lyndie and I would like to share Sunny’s aka Sunshine’s story with you. 

On July 26, 2018, a neighbor trapped a cat that I had been obsessively trying to trap for several days after a different neighbor sent me pictures of this cat with a double eye infection and in poor health. He was dumped in my neighborhood. He would go to a woman’s backyard to eat with a feral cat colony that lives near by occasionally. I needed to help this cat, I had an unexplainable pull to him. The first time I saw his picture, I felt something special. I searched for him for days before the 26th with no luck. After I spread the word and begged people to call me if they saw him, I finally got a call early in the morning from a neighbor that was able to get him in her dog’s cage on the morning of July 26th with some wet food. 

I named this precious boy Sunny aka Sunshine because of his amazing personality and orange coat and golden eyes. He is so friendly, happy and joyful even though he was severely neglected and dumped. He has been living in my spare bathroom since I took him in.

My dog, Noel, is very kitty friendly and enjoys coming with me to Sunny’s bathroom to spend time with him. Noel couldn’t meet Sunny for over a month because he was so ill and contagious. Sunny and Noel take naps together now and he seems to find comfort in my little Noel. He is still struggling with his health and he’s fearful of the outside world beyond his comfy bathroom, which is completely understandable. He’s been through a lot in his short life. 

I got him neutered and made sure he received all of the vaccines he needed. He is still on eye medication (his eyes were horrific) and his ears were filled with ear mites and he was on prescription ear drops for a couple of weeks. Thankfully, his eyes and ears are doing much better but his eyes are permanently damaged from the trauma they sustained. His vision isn’t very good and his third eyelid is always visible. I’ve been told by my vet that he is approximately 2-4 years old but when I found him he looked much older. He was very thin, bald patches all over him and he had a wound on his nose that stretched from the top to the bottom. That wound has since scabbed over and healed and thankfully, his hair grew back. The bald patches around his neck and chin have not grown back hair and won’t in the future. He is still super handsome! 

Sunny went from a very happy and playful kitty, to a fatigued kitty that was no longer interested in eating much, he began to have lameness throughout his legs and from one day to the next, his symptoms would fluctuate rapidly. The initial symptoms came out of nowhere and happened over night. It was shocking to say the least, very scary. I’ve learned through extensive testing that he is heartworm positive, he has an enlarged heart, he has bronchitis and a tick borne disease.

I admitted him to my vet for a few days of monitoring. He was put on steroids and antibiotics. It was unbearably hard for me to leave him at the vet but I knew it was the right thing to do so they could monitor him for a few days. 

I missed him like crazy and worried about him constantly. I truly believe we were meant to meet. I feel like I knew him in another life. I feel like he’s been my kitty for years. I love him so so so much and I don’t want him to suffer. If the antibiotics and steroids don’t help him, I don’t know what I’m going to do. Devastated is the best word. He stayed at my vet for a few days and was able to come home after he started his medication and began to eat.

My vet has recommended that I see a specialist about an hour away. The fee for the visit is $136.00 and the testing that they recommend for Sunny’s condition will be $480.00. This is money that I simply don’t have since I have spent over $1,000 on Sunny’s medical bills already. 

To help make him more comfortable, I made an orthopedic bed out of some foam from Walmart, stuffing and a really soft pillow case and I sewed it together. It was a cheaper option that he seems to really love. I couldn’t spend the $40-$50 on a bed at the pet store but he’s not complaining. It’s probably the first bed he’s ever had. 

I know that there is a possibility that I may need to let him cross the rainbow bridge at some point if the medications the vet put him on do not work or quit working. Heartworm is much more aggressive in cats and they can die suddenly at any time. The meds that they use for dogs are too dangerous for cats as well. His heart is enlarged from the heartworms and he has developed bronchitis, that is also from the heartworms. An enlarged heart in a kitty is a very serious issue that causes their little bodies a lot of problems if not treated quickly and carefully by a specialist. 

Watching him go through this is extremely difficult. Also, not having the financial means to get the testing done with a specialist is weighing heavy on my mind and heart. Without the testing, there’s no way to tell how far along his heart condition is. The x-rays I have had done do not show the details, only that his heart is enlarged. He is so brave and strong and resilient. I have to keep hope that he will continue to get better and he will overcome this. 

I don’t want to let him down like so many humans have in his past. I know he wouldn’t be alive right now if I didn’t do everything in my power to get him the help that he so desperately needs. I try not to think about what he has suffered and how I wish we could have found each other sooner. I know he would have died alone in the woods and I am so grateful for every day that I get to pet him, and hold him and look into his beautiful eyes. Everyday that he meows cheerfully when he sees me is a blessing.

I hope that he will get better and have the life that he deserves. He’s a warrior and an inspiration to me. I love him and I hope he knows how much I love him. I would greatly appreciate any donations to help with his medical bills that are now over $1,000. I was not financially prepared for his medical issues but I will do everything I can to help him to the best of my ability.

If you can’t donate, I would appreciate if everyone could pray to your higher power or just send healing vibes to my Sunny. He needs all the help and love he can get right now. All of the money I receive will go to his mounting medical bills, medications and food. He will require life long testing to monitor his heart, which include x-rays and other tests through a specialist that are incredibly expensive. He will be on medication for the rest of his life to ensure his comfort and quality of life.

Thank you kindly for reading and your consideration to help my baby Sunny Sunshine.

A few of Sunny’s vet bills. 


Sunny’s eyes a few days after he started prescription eye medication. 


Sunny 8/28/18


My little Sunshine has come a long way and with your help and hopefully a little angel from above, I will continue to give him the quality medical care that he will need for the rest of his life. 

Thank you for reading Sunny’s story. I hope he has inspired you the way he has inspired me. ☀️

Organiser

Lyndie Kelley
Organiser
Hudson, FL

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